Stroke Team at Northwest Medical Center - Bentonville Delivers Life-saving Care

1/5/2026

Bentonville, AR (Jan. 5 2026) – What began as a normal morning quickly became a life-altering wake-up call for Erica Mackall, a Southwest Missouri mother who nearly dismissed a key warning sign of stroke as something less serious.

“I just couldn’t see clearly,” Mackall said. “My vision was very blurry. I could get up and do normal things, but I couldn’t focus on text messages. That’s what caused me concern.”

Blurry vision was the only symptom Mackall initially noticed, but her son later pointed out that the right side of her face appeared to be drooping. She also felt heaviness on that side, a symptom she did not initially recognize as serious.

At first, she planned to go back to bed and see if the symptoms passed. She texted her husband to let him know she wouldn’t be able to work that day. Instead of reassurance, she got an urgent phone call.

Her husband, an EMT with the Springdale Fire Department, immediately recognized the symptom as a possible stroke and urged her to seek medical care.

The family lives in a rural area with limited emergency medical resources. Mackall’s son drove her about 40 minutes to the emergency department at Northwest Medical Center — Bentonville, a decision influenced by proximity to her husband’s workplace and access to specialized stroke care.

When she arrived at the emergency department, Mackall worried her symptoms might be overlooked.

“I was worried how busy the ER was going to be and how serious my symptoms would be taken,” she said. “But as soon as I told them I couldn’t see and my face felt like it was drooping, they rushed me back immediately.”

Hospital staff initiated a stroke alert, placing a stroke band on her wrist and beginning rapid diagnostic testing. A nurse who recognized her through her husband reassured her and explained each step of the process.

“It all happened very fast,” Mackall said. “There’s always a fear, especially as a woman, that you won’t be taken seriously — but that wasn’t the case. They made me realize how serious this was and how it could impact my life forever if I didn’t get treatment right away.” Mackall said having the hospital’s stroke coordinator, Nikki Suchy, R.N., present during her evaluation helped ease her anxiety and provided crucial education in real time.

“I was impressed,” she said. “She was explaining everything while it was happening.”

The moment carried added meaning when Mackall realized the stroke coordinator was the same educator who had previously trained her husband during a department-wide stroke education class.

“He came home from that class saying how eye-opening it was,” she said. “Since then, he’s gotten several patients treatment much sooner because of what he learned. That gave me so much confidence in her and the care I was receiving.”

The hospital’s stroke coordinator, Suchy, said real-time education during an active stroke alert can be critical, depending on the patient’s condition.

“Time is brain,” she said. “About 2 million brain cells die every minute during a stroke. The sooner a patient gets treatment, the better their chances of avoiding long-term deficits and maintaining quality of life.”

She emphasized that patients should always call 911 rather than driving themselves to the hospital.

“Calling 911 is the fastest and safest option,” she said. “Patients can decline on the way to the hospital and EMS helps us save valuable time.”

Stroke symptoms are often remembered using the acronym B.E. F.A.S.T.: Balance issues, Eyes (vision changes), Facial drooping or numbness, Arm (or leg) weakness, Speech difficulty and a sudden, severe headache, Time to call 911. Any of these symptoms can be a sign of a stroke, and timely emergency treatment is critical.

Mackall said her experience highlighted how easily symptoms can be dismissed, especially for women with chronic conditions.

“So many times we’re told our symptoms are anxiety or hormone-related,” she said. “I didn’t take it seriously enough at first. I’m worth getting checked out. I want to be around for my kids and future grandkids.”

Suchy noted that strokes are increasingly affecting younger patients and stressed the importance of preventive care, including regular primary care visits to monitor blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes.

Northwest Medical Center — Bentonville is a full-service hospital serving Northwest Arkansas, providing 24/7 emergency care and specialized stroke treatment as a Joint Commission certified stroke-ready hospital.

“There have been so many advancements in stroke treatment,” she said. “If people recognize symptoms early and come in fast enough, it can completely change their quality of life.”

For Erica Mackall, the message is simple.

“I just hope others know the signs and take them seriously,” she said. “They’re worth it.”

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